Common Game Elements - Part One

I've been thinking about how there are certain elements in video games that reoccur very frequently. And since I love to analyze, I decided to make a new post type titled, "Common Game Elements". Now while I say game elements, for the most part I mean RPGs, although some of these elements transcend genres and I will make an effort to include as many different kinds of games as possible.

For part one, I decided to pick at something that was overused to overkill. So without further ado, let us delve into today's topic:

"The protagonist/hero is a sword wielder"

Exactly what is says: the main character, female or male (usually male), is always some sort of swordsman. This rule isn't absolute, but it is very prevalent, especially among RPGs.

Examples:

Official Dissidia artwork
showcases Firion as a swordsman

• Firion (FFII) - Comes equipped with a sword and paladin-like stats. Shown with a sword in artwork.
• Cecil (FFIV) - Dark Knight, then Paladin and both use swords.
• Bartz (FFV) - In artwork he is shown caring a sword.
• Terra (FFVI) - Uses swords among other weapons.
• Cloud (FFVII) - Uses the massive and iconic Buster Sword.
• Squall (FFVIII) - Uses a gun-blade, which is more blade than gun.
• Vaan (FFXII) - Comes equipped with a sword and with sword-abilities unlocked.
• Lightning (FFXIII) - Uses a gun-blade, which is again, more blade than gun.
• Marche (FFTA) - Begins his journey in the sword wielding solider class.
• Luso (FFTA2) - Like his predecessor, begins as a solider that equips swords.
• Ryu (Breath of Fire) - Uses mostly swords.
• Max (Shining Force) - Is a swordsman.
• Bowie (Shining Force II) - Uses swords only.
• Hero/Lazlo (Suikoden IV) - wields twin blades.
• Alph (Lumionous Arc) - equips swords only.
• Roland (Luminous Arc 2) - once again a sword wielder.
• Link (The Legend of Zelda) - his primary weapon is a sword.
• Chrno (Chrono Trigger) - Uses only swords.
• Issac (Golden Sun) - Uses only swords.
• Alex (Lunar: Silver Star Story) -  Uses only swords.
• Hero (Dragon Quest VIII) - Uses swords among other weapons
• Hero (Secret of Mana) - Uses a sword among other weapons. The sword, however, is given special significance.
• Laharl (Disgaea) - Comes with a sword equipped and has high sword proficiency.
• Sora (Kingdom Hearts) - Uses the sword-like, Keyblade.
• Eliwood (Fire Emblem) -  Uses light swords.
• Maxim (Lufia 2) - A swordsman.
• Nier (Nier) - Uses swords.
• Jeanne (Jeanne D'Arc) - Uses swords.
• Ein (Riveria: The Promised Land) - Uses a sword like weapon.
• Sonic (Sonic and the Black Knight) - Even Sonic gets a sword in this game!
• Raguna (Rune Factory) - Uses a sword when fighting monsters.
• Prince (Prince of Persia) - All incarnations wield a sword.
• Shiren (Shiren the Wanderer) - Uses swords, shown with a sword in artwork.
• Yuri (Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates) - Comes with a sword equipped.



Iconic character Link is usually
pictured with a sword in hand
even though he also uses bows or
boomerangs.

• Sagi (Baten Kaitos Origins) - Uses swords.

There are even more examples, but I think everyone gets the idea. As one can see this is pretty prevalent, and there are but a few examples where the hero/protagonist isn't using a sword. Most of these come from outside RPGs, but there are some RPGs that don't follow this rule as well.

Exceptions:

• Yuna (FFX-2) - Uses twin guns
• Zidane (FFIX) - Uses daggers
• Aya (Parasite Eve) - Uses guns.
• Issac (Lost Magic) - Uses magic and has a wand.
• Mario (Super Mario Bros.) - Jumps on things.
• Neku (The World Ends With You) - Uses his psychic powers.
• Kyrie (Sands of Destruction) - Uses knives.
• Layle (Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers) - Uses his gravity power
• Drake (Uncharted) - Uses guns.
• Johnathan (Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin) - Uses a whip.
• Annie (Atelier Annie: Alchemist of Serra Island) - Equips staffs.
• Klein (Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana) - Uses a cane/staff.

Aya Brea from Parasite Eve
uses firearms rather than
swords.

Most of the RPG exceptions are unique in that a certain game play mechanic makes it important for the main character to use magic or something similar (Issac, Annie, Klein, Layle, Neku). For others, guns fit the setting better than swords (Aya, Drake). And sometimes, instead of giving the protagonist a big bad blade, the developers settle for a smaller version and make their hero a thief (Zidane, Kyrie). The only odd balls in the bunch are Yuna from FFX-2, who uses twin guns that seem out of place in the game's fantasy settings and Jonathan (and other Castlevania protagonists), who uses a whip.

So what the hell does this mean? Why did I bother to compile a list of sword-users and non-users? For one, to show just how rampant this occurrence really is. For another, to show that the idea archetype, the hero, is still, by-and-far, the same character: a cool sword wielding dude (sometimes dudette). A muscular swordsman/woman oozes coolness and badassery. Why would anyone want to play as a wimpy mage? Yes, at the heart of it is the stereotype that magic users, because they use either words or natural forces and not their own physical strength, are wimpy and in need of protection. God forbidden the character we were forced to play and in turn relate to was a weak character.

Of course, as the list in the exceptions shows, this is being challenged, albeit not enough to give us a more proportional representation of protagonist that are not sword wielders, or even physical fighters, but nevertheless, there are some unique protagonists that do offer a different route than the usual sword wielding hero.

There are also games going a different route, the customization route, which put the choice in the hands of the player. So all in all, there has been some growth and diversification in video games and I hope this trend continues so that not only are we getting a variety of character classes as the lead, but also a variety of leading personality types. Like they say, "variety is the spice of life."

~Joanna

Now Playing: Impressions

Here's a list and brief look into what I'm currently playing:

1. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
I love love love this game! I love how the battle system is a prefect mix of SRPG and RPG. It combines the best of both worlds. I also adore the demon fusing. It's very addicting trying to see what new demons you may end up getting through fusion. Fusion taps right into my gotta catch em all pokemon obsession, although I'm not too focused about getting all the demons, more about seeing them all. XD

Story is pretty interesting. Although, the gameplay and character interactions are what really keeps me playing. I must say, Midori is my favourite character at the moment. She's cute, funny, and strong. I love how she thinks she's a magical girl saving the earth~

Also love the role playing that is peppered throughout the game. Some of the responses are pretty funny (like telling other characters that so-and-so is your girlfriend). The game is also pretty challenging. I had to really try during the third day's fight with Beldr. Overall I am really enjoying my time with Devil Survivor, and I'm wondering which ending I'll end up getting. =D


2. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

I picked this up because I love pokemon and Amazon had a killer price on it (24.99 CAN as opposed to the regular 39.99 CAN). I also wanted to try an easy rogue-like. First off, this game is adorable~ It's so charmingly cute that I can't help but feel all warm and fuzzy inside playing this game. Second, for a pokemon game, it's got a pretty interesting story. I was thinking that because it's a spin-off, the game would not have a great story, but surprisingly the story is pretty good.

Also this game is perfect for collecting fanatics like me. You have the opportunity to recruit all 492 pokemon (correct me if I am wrong). There is something insanely addicting in trying to collect all the monsters. The game can get a little challenging, like when you run into monster houses, but usually a bit of leveling or the right items will be enough to work your way through. I like that the game isn't too easy (of course for a rogue-like it is easy). In the end, I am very satisfied with it and I look forward to the rest of the game.

-interesting tidbit: I got cast as a Totodile. I never much liked the pokemon, but now I'm warming up to it and I plan on making my starter for SoulSilver a totodile now. XD Picked Charmander as my partner because I love the Char-family.


3. Wario Land III
I never got around to finishing this, so now I am trying to do that. While I got really close to the end, my game file was wiped clean and I had to start over. Strangely enough the game still saves and I've almost made it back to where I was before the save file got erased. I'm really enjoying myself, I love the blend of platforming and puzzle solving. I wish I could get the other Wario games that I missed out on. Plus Wario is just too lovable~ hehe.

4.Golden Sun: The Lost Age
Doing a complete run of The Lost Age for my backloggery buddy Phoenix's marathon and also because Golden Sun DS is being released this year!!!!!!! I'm currently at Gaia Rock and almost done with it. All I need to do is go to Mikage dragon and fight it. The game is just as fun as I remember it to be & the music is awesome, but I'm amazed at how much I forgot with regards to the puzzles. ^^;;; But that is ok, it makes the game more challenging.

5. Shining Force
I made it to the second last battle, but I'm really taking my time with it. Part of the reason is that I am attempting to level all my units to 20, but the other reason is that I've been busy playing the games listed above. ^^;;; Anyway I hope to finish it soon (yeah right) ^^;;;

Mini Updates:
-I'm on scene 44 of Knights in the Nightmare.
-I'm on the last level of Super Mario Advance, but I can't seem to beat Wart. :/ (currently on hold)
-I finished all the Challenges for Professor Layton and the Curious Village. I am now currently working on the Wi-Fi puzzle. Week 12 Puzzle has me stumped. (currently on hold)

~Joanna.

Pumpkin Craving: Halloween 2009

As I did last year, this Halloween I also craved a game-based pumpkin. The picture is a little blurry, but I'm interested if anyone can guess what the craving is suppose to be of. Not to worry, it is not suppose to be obscure, even people who do not play games may recognize what I craved....or at least that is the hope that I am entertaining. ^^;;; I'll put up an answer in a few days, till then I'm interested in what people say about it.

Maybe I was a bit too optimistic. no one responded. ^^;;;;;;
Anyways, the answer is Haunter, pokemon number 93.

~Joanna

Gaming Update: Summer Gaming Coming to a Close

So summer vacation is now finished, but I still haven't made much of a dent on my backlog. If anything the monster grew. ^^;;; Anyways, here is what I'm currently playing:

1.Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (NDS)
I was playing this before, but I put it down for months because I got distracted and I basically forgot what I was doing, so I decided to restart from the very beginning, case one. I have finally made it back to case three, which is where I was when I put the game down. Hopefully, I can finish this game now without any interruptions. Well at least I'm pretty determined to do so >:)

No new impressions, since I've barely started case three, and I've already played the other two before. But I just want to say that it's pretty amazing how much I still recall and how much I've forgotten. Also, what is up with Ace Attorney/ Gyakuten Saiben always having those innocent frail girls turn out to be conniving little b*tchs? hmmm? Well at least case three doesn't seem to have any fake innocent girls, not that I hate these types of villains, because I don't; I think the type is used well in the ace attorney games. It's just that after a few of them, I want a different type of villain to mix things up a bit. =)


2.Knights in the Nightmare (NDS)
I was really excited about playing this game when I heard Atlus was going to publish it in North America, but I was sad to learn that it would be released when I would be out of the country. Thankfully I managed to procure a copy even after it had been released for over a month; the only down side is that I didn't get the beautiful pre-order bonus art book. *sniff* =(

I'm really enjoying this game and it has exceeded my standards. I'm about half way through (I think), but I'm making really slow progress. ^^;;; I'm pretty busy even without school so I play it here and there, and I am currently on Scene 32. Plus, because the battles are so intense, I tend to grip the stylus too hard and it digs into my hand, so I can't play this one for long periods of time. ^^;;; (Yeah I'm pathetic)

Still I'm really happy with this game and I am enjoying it a lot. The combat is so unique, I don't think anyone has ever mixed a shooter with a SRPG, and even though it sounds impossible, it really works well. Sometimes the bullets (especially during boss battles) can be overwhelming, but the resume (or was it replay) button makes things a little easier. The story is pretty good as well, but a little disjointed because it's told in fragments. Art and music are very very beautiful. I think the only aspect of the game that is not done as well is the characters. This is mainly because only the story related characters actually get flushed out, even with the pause talks, the regular characters still don't feel as important or developed as Maria, Capehorn, or Yelma (the latter two are villains). Not that I mind because as long as gameplay is solid, I'm happy; story, art, music, and characters are nice bonuses (which I appreciate a lot as well). I can tell that Knights has had a lot of effort put into the game, since not only is the gameplay solid, but so is the art, story, music, and the characters. Everything is well done, and this game is another gem from Atlus. It's also my first Sting game, so I'll be looking out for more games from this developer from now on.

I just want to point out once more that he art is amazing. I currently have an image of maria as my wallpaper and I've saved a few more images to use in the future. The artist is really talented and I really regret missing out on the bonus art book. The music is also very pretty and each piece fits the mood; there is also a lot of variety, for which I am also thankful. The music on the title menu is very pretty and I could listen to it for hours on end. =3

SPOILER ALERT: The following deals with characters and the story and my thoughts on it so far!!!!

-I like the relationship between Maria and Melissa, I hope we get to see these two interact more (but I doubt we will because the last battle with Melissa made it seem that she was destroyed for good).
-I cannot believe Wilmgard has a lover, it really doesn't fit his character. =/ And it also felt out of place in a story about loss.
-I don't understand why all the characters refer to Nordich as the selfish prince. In the flashback, the prince was worried about his father and kingdom. It seemed like he didn't know what Capehorn was up to, although I will admit he did seem awfully fixated on his own kingship and authority. Still even so I don't think he is selfish, but I guess the other characters wouldn't know this since Capehorn was acting as the mouth piece of the prince.
-The underworld has made its move, yet Asgard, the realm of gods has not, I wonder why. Maybe it has something to do with Melissa?ok that's all for the spoilers and knights in the nightmare. It seems like this is going to be yet another long post. ^^;;

3. Children of Mana (NDS)
I picked it up again after a year, thankfully because there is practically no story, I was able to jump right back in. As a mana game, it disappoints, but it's good for some random pick up and play. I usually play it when I feel like picking something up for a bit; it's mindless hack 'n' slash, so it's good for killing a few minutes. I think I'm pretty close to the end, but with this kind of game, one can never really know.

Also I cannot help but feel that the art direction and music was wasted on this game. The art is so lovely and the music is nice, but the gameplay is generic. This art and music would have benefited from being used in a typical mana game (like sword or secret of mana). In such a generic and mindless hack 'n' slash game, the art and music, although nice, cannot save the game's shortcomings and they would have benefited a better game more. Regardless, I'm still mildly enjoying Children of Mana because it's easy to pick up and play and a good mindless time waster. This one will be coming with me to school a lot, so I'll probably finish it before 2010 rolls around. =)


4. Shinning Force (GEN)
I'm on the last chapter, but I've been playing it sparsely (as usual for me). I still have a bit of level grinding to do. But I finally managed to promote Adam and I got him at level 10 unpromoted two battles ago, which is insane this late in the game. Thankfully Tao learned boast not too long ago so I was able to use boast and get him to level 20 that way. I had to use boast because his attack stat was pathetic since he was unpromoted and without boast he was doing 1 point of damage. This is why I do not understand the logic behind giving the player such a low leveled unit this late in the game, unless it's to piss off, I mean challenge us completionists. I'm currently attempting to get all my characters to level 10 promoted because I want to max them all out and complete this game in one go. Getting them to level 10 now will make it more manageable to max them later (level 20 is the max). All my units are around levels 6-8 right now, so I still have a bit of grinding to do.


6. Super Mario Advance (GBA)
I'm suck on 5-3 T__________________________T
Near the end of the level you have to steal a flying carpet from an enemy and ride it to the other side, but the carpet disappears after some time and I keep dying because the carpet disappears before I make it to the other side. The one time I did make it to the boss, I died before I could finish him because I have one life left. sob sob. This game is somewhat on hold because I'm a little too frustrated to play it. Speaking of frustration....


7.Professor Layton and the Curious Village (NDS)
I am stuck on puzzle 135, the last of the professor's challenges. It's so frustrating because I finally discovered how to solve 134 (which was also giving me grief). That stupid red block, I can't get it out. sob sob. I keep repeating the same moves over and over again. I know I'm missing something, but I can't seem to figure it out. T___________T
This one is currently on hold because it gave me too much grief. :/

Upcoming Posts

well, I have decided to give everyone a little tease of what is yet to come because I take so long to post new stuff, plus this little list will remind me of what I have yet to finish (and trust me, I am pretty forgetful ^^;;;)

Manga Related:
-Impression: Wild Com.
-Impression: Basara 26
-Impression: Basara 27

Guess I should call this the Yumi Tamura marathon..ahaha. Well her manga is really good, so I can't help but try to pick up every little thing of hers that is localized. Wild Com. will be coming soon (I hope) as I have already finished reading it. And I hope to get started on the last two volumes of Basara tonight. I'm so happy I was able to pick up the whole series. :D :D I think of Tamura-san's works, I still have Chicago to pick up. Too bad the only editions of it avaliable are the older ones...

Game Related:
-DSing Update
-Game Review: Rocket Slime
-Game Review: Final Fantasy III

I haven't done a gaming update in awhile, so I guess I should do one, just to let everyone know what I'm currently playing and my thoughts on that. ;) I finished Rocket Slime awhile ago, so I really need to get the review done. And I finished FFIII recently so I also want to get my thoughts down while my impressions are still fresh. Reviews take me awhile to write, so I wouldn't expect these any time soon. :/

Anime Related:
-Anime Impressions -0.2

I haven't done an anime related post since forever, because I just lazy. T___T Hopefully, I'll get one done soon, and if I do, it will most likely be about Higurashi no naku koro ni. Not a new anime by any means, but I'm watching it now, so it's ideal for an impression. Actually, I never watch any "airing" anime, the only exception is Bleach, because I was hooked on it once and now I just watch it for the animated fights. The manga has been going downhill lately...but that rant is for another time.

~Joanna

Redeemed my Club Nintendo Points!

I happened to redeem my club nintendo points a few months ago, but just got around to posting about it now. I decided to go with the animal crossing cards because I needed some play cards and the point amount was not too extreme.

Free shipping and handling was really nice on nintendo's part, and I am very satisfied with these cards. Now I can play Crazy 8s in style. hehe.

ps - I made it to gold status, so I'll be getting a nifty 2010 calendar :D

~Joanna

I finally hit the big 5-0

When my little brother discovered, by chance, the first Rune Factory in the bargain bin for only 20 CAN, I knew I had to pick it up at such a cheap price. Rune Factory is my 50th DS game! So I finally reached my goal of owning 50 DS games! Now I'm on to 100, or not. hehehe. We shall see.

Sorry about the picture quality. You probably won't be able to make out some of the games. But if your interested in my collection, I have an account on Backloggery.com under the same username, soaring_wings. My whole collection is listed on there ( not just DS games). You can also see how pathetic my beat statistics is ^^;;;;

edit: I currently own 53 DS games. The three not pictured are Dragon Ball Origins, Wario: Master of Disguise, and Magician's Quest: Mysterious Times.

~Joanna

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon Preorder Goodies!!

I love Fire Emblem, so naturally I pre-ordered the DS remake of the very first game. EB Games gave out this decent Laser Cell with a pre-order of the game. The game came out in February, but I've just been taking my time with posting my spoils =P

The game itself is fun, but it's missing a few staples of the franchise; like unit bonding. But it also has a few nice addition as well, like the harm button (which is X) that shows you the range of all enemy units (helpful when your trying to protect your frail units)

Also, is it just me, or is this Fire Emblem more RNG harsh than other FE games. I mean 80% of the time, my units get only 0-2 bonuses when they level up. Usually I get at least 3-4 and only on rare occasions do I only get 0-2 from any unit (and I use them all, so this includes the 'crappy' units as well), but with this game the problem seems to be even more apparent. Right now I'm playing on Normal Mode (which is the easiest mode) so the problem isn't too bad (since enemies are low leveled and in smaller numbers), but it will become a problem when I play on the harder difficulties.

Oh and the prologue (which you have to play on normal to see) was alright, but the last chapter was annoying (why do I need to sacrifice a unit!? this does not bode well for OCD players like me. I did sacrifice Jagen, but I was NOT happy about it, not one bit...grr.)

~Joanna

The Backloggery

excellent little site that helps me keep track of my backlog =)
it's even got a neat little forum signature that I will probably use (see down below) =)
It links to my profile on backloggery, if your interested.

Dsing Update

Finished Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure!!
I finally finished the game, and the ending was touching =) Even with the glitches, I found it was worth playing if you haven't played it already. And I'm also quite proud of myself for finishing something! I've got quite the backlog you see ^^;;

Hopefully I will get to the review soon enough ^^;;

I'm currently working my way through luminous arc 2 & Chrono Trigger. I've already beaten Chrono Trigger, but I love being able to play it again ^^ Luminous Arc 2 is even better than the first game. The only problem I have with it is that "character breaks" (talking with your characters) only happen during story segments and only with a select few characters =(

Hope the rest of you are having as much fun with your DSes as I am! =)

~Joanna

Atlus Spoils: Luminous Arc 2 Pre-order Goodies!

I've been meaning to get around to taking a picture of the nice bundle I got with Luminous Arc 2. Sorry about the horrible lighting ^^;;

The CD actually comes with all purchases of LA2, but the art book was a pre-order bonus. I was so happy to actually get it since I live in Canada, and we Canadians usually get "shafted" when it comes to pre-order bonuses. =(

As you can tell by the art book cover, the second game has as much fan service as the first. In this game Fatima, the shadow frost witch, is the new Vanessa. But surprisingly, most of the pictures aren't fan service oriented at all, most are beautiful full color character collages. The majority of the book is filled with character profiles, which as far as I can tell don't contain any spoilers. =)
Also, this art book has art and profiles from both games! ^______________^

The CD has eight tracks, and some really nice ones too. Actually both Luminous Arc games have beautiful musical scores!

I'm currently progressing through the game, and the story is less typical so far, than in the first game; there was plot twist that I actually didn't see coming! The voice acting is also very well done; I'm satisfied with all the castings this time. And true to the developer's word, LA2 is more difficult then the first game. It isn't hard, but it isn't easy either, and you're going to have to be more careful this time around. Also, I am very happy to report that not only are the battles more balanced, but so are physical and magic attacks. In the first game, half way through, magic became obsolete. So far, magic attacks do a good amount of damage, and your going to be using the witches as casters majority of the time. In the first game, I never made most of the witches casts spells unless the enemy was too far to reach, because they did more damage physically attacking than when casting a spell!

~Joanna

Game Review: Luminous Arc

Basic Information:

---

Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: SRPG
Difficulty: Easy-to-Fair
Developer: Image Epoch
Publisher: Atlus U.S.A
Release Date: August 2007
Rating: T for teen
Retail Price: $ 29.99 US ($ 34.99 CAN)

What it's About:

---

Something sinister has began to stir; monstrous fiends plague the countryside and witches, the harbingers of destruction, have began to appear. The Luminous Church has called on a special group of youths called the Garden Children to help aid in the fight against the fiends. But the group runs into a strange girl by the name of Lucia, who appears to be a witch herself, but unlike the tales, she isn't interested in harming humans. Meanwhile another witch has been spotted terrorizing a village. Something isn't quite right, and the Garden Children are determined to go after the witches to figure out just what is mere tale and what is truth.


Gameplay:

---

If you have ever played a SRPG (Strategy RPG), then you will know how the gameplay in Luminous Arc works. There is nothing in Luminous that has not been seen in another SRPG; this may be either something you welcome or something you disdain. For me, it was a much welcomed return to the solid foundations of all SRPGs. That's not to say I don't like experimental SRPGs, but only that I welcome returns to the basic formula as well as diversions from it. For those of you unfamiliar with SRPGs, Luminous Arc gives you a handful a characters that become your units. The overworld map is broken down into locations that contain either random battles or story battles. Random battles happen randomly when you passover the location, but story battles only happen when you are at the location of the next story battle and you click on the menu option to progress the story. You will then read a bit of dialogue between the characters (much like in a interactive novel) which sets up the next story related fight. Luminous arc is notorious all over the internet for it's lengthy dialogue, but I for one, quite enjoy the dialogued scenes, some of which have partial voice overs. After the back story for the battle is set up, you will be allowed to choose the units (characters) you wish to bring with you for the battle; sometimes due to story circumstances, you will be forced to bring certain units along. I believe the maximum amount of units you can bring with you is 6. After you have chosen, you will move each units on a grid-like battlefield. To attack, most units will have to be next to an enemy unit; however long range weapons and magic spells or skills will allows you to attack from a distance. Each character's statistics (both your units and the enemy's) will determine how much damage a certain enemy receives, and your unit will receive experience for attacking and using support spells. The amount of experience is determined by your level compared to the enemy's, and whether or not it is a finishing blow. When your unit gains enough experience, it will level up like in an RPG, becoming stronger and sometimes learning a new skill or spell.

Once you complete a battle (either story or random) you will get the option to speak with one of the characters you used in battle. You cannot talk to Alph, the main character, as he will be the one who interacts with the other characters. Basically you play as Alph, and the story takes place in his perspective. Also note that the option to speak with the other characters only becomes available after a few story battles; thus you won't be able to talk with your units right away. When Alph speaks with the other characters, they will provide some interesting information about themselves and often ask Alph a question. You will be given three responses, and depending upon the response, you may increase that character's affection for you. You can usually tell if you replied right or not by the characters response to Alph. Increasing affection improves Alph's and the other character's stats when the two are next to each other on the battlefield. Also most female characters will give Alph hints that they are attracted to him when their affection for him grows in later dialogues. As far as I know, these dialogues do not change the ending of the game, making Alph and a certain female character the cannon pairing. Also, unlike Fire Emblem, only Alph and the chosen character can interact, other characters cannot.


Story & Characters

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Luminous has a colorful cast of characters and Atlus has done a beautiful job localizing all the text. However, don't expect deep and evolving characters, most characters don't evolve beyond the stereotypical role they are placed in, but that's not to say it's a bad thing. Image Epoch and Atlus both knew these characters were highly stereotypical, so rather then going the serious route, Atlus reinforced the stereotypes in silly and overall enjoyable ways. The worst thing a gaming company can do is try to make stereotypical characters serious. That's not to say it cannot be done, just that video games tend to be the least successful medium when it comes to making stereotypes provocative and deeper then at first they seem. Taking the silly and funny route with characters makes them much more enjoyable than they normally would be.

The story also is very typical and I knew what was coming even before the game started. But again, do not misunderstand, just because a story is obvious and a little overdone, does not mean it is bad. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, even through I knew what was going to happen. The characters really made the story more endearing because they were so off-the-wall. And some of the hidden bonus missions were treats as well; they give you a deeper look into some of the characters without the game taking itself too seriously. In particular the Vivi bonus mission was interesting, even if it left most of what it introduced into the story undeveloped.


Art & Graphics

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This is where Luminous Arc really shines. The backdrops used during dialogue periods are lovely and quite varied. The character models and mini portraits are just as lovely, and quite detailed as well. If your a fan of the art style found in most manga and anime, then you will throughly appreciate the character portraits in Luminous. There was clearly a lot of effort put forward in the art department and the game shows it. Character models are not only detailed, but come in a number a variations depicting different emotions, which only add to the overall quality of the dialogue parts. The number of emotions each character displays is astonishing, so much so that these character models seem made for a interactive novel game, not a SRPG. If you like adventure games and dialogued sequences, then you will throughly be pampered by Luminous; it has voice overs, beautiful character models depicting a varying range of emotions, and lovely backdrops to accent it all.

The graphics aren't as pampered as the character portraits and models, but they are quite lovely as well. Each of the character units is beautifully detailed, you will know who is who without a second glance. Battlefields as well are quite detailed and varied; some are better looking then others, but all are well done. Skill and spell effects are not as beautiful, but they get the work done. Luminous is one of the graphically better SRPGs available on the DS at the moment, and although it's not as refined as say FFTA2, it is still among the better graphically faring SRPGs.

As for the box art, it's too busy. There are too many elements, and the end effect isn't as nice. It's decent, but it could have been better if Atlus redesigned it and decreased the amount of characters on the front.


Music & Sound

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Luminous Arc also features really nice music; some tracks are better then others, but overall, it has some really nice music. In-battle music is energizing and makes you want to kick some monster butt.^^ Likewise, the dialogued scenes have music which fits the mood, and special "boss" fights have some of the best tracks around. Composer Yoko Shimomura really showed she has the talent to provide beautiful music for video games. Some of the really nice tracks include: the prelude, the wandering forest, traces of the journey, ancient myth, brace for battle, prayer, the spring breeze is blowing, and grief.

The voice overs are decent as well, although I had a few issue with some of the casting choices. My biggest problem was with Mel, who sounded a little too much like a crabby old lady. The luminous site did say that Mel speaks like an adult, and I assumed it to mean she speaks formally, rather then sounding like a crabby old women. But her voice actress got a lot better later on, and she sounded less crabby and more cute (or maybe I just got used to the voice). I also had a slight problem with Alph, he doesn't sound bad, but I would have liked a better voice actor for the main lead. A lot of other people had a problem with Nikolai's actor, but I actually found his annoying voice to fit Nikolai's character to a tee. =)

Below is a sample of the music found in Luminous Arc, it's the "prayer" track, my favourite theme in the whole game, I think. =)


Multiplayer

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Luminous Arc does feature Wi-fi multiplayer, but I haven't tried it out, so I can't really say how good it is. If I do eventually try it out, I'll add my thoughts here and give it a score.


My Thoughts & Recommendations

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Being an SRPG fan, this may be a little biased, so keep that in mind, but I will try to be as objective as possible. =) Luminous Arc is, in my opinion, a very enjoyable romp through the SRPG genre. It lacks the same depth that most SRPGs are now offering in gameplay, but it makes that up with wacky characters, and an interesting, albeit typical, story. I genuinely enjoyed playing the game, and even chuckled a couple of times. If your looking for a fun game of good length look no further. =)

If your a beginner to SRPGs, then this game is for you. Most of the game isn't too difficult and it serves nicely as an introductory SRPG. But be warned, there are two fights in this game that can be difficult, thankfully if you are having trouble, you can level grind. Veterans won't find much challenge, but they may find an amusing game, as I did. If your itching for another SRPG, then I recommend Luminous Arc; it's surprisingly pleasant. If your curious about the genre and are willing to give it a try, then I also recommend Luminous Arc.

Parents, be aware of the T rating on this game. It's not a difficult game, so it would be good for newcomers, but I can't recommend it to young children as some of the witches are rather skimpily clad (Vanessa in particular) and there are quite a number of sexual references in the game. As can be seen by looking at some of the witches, this game is aimed at the male demographic. However, it can be enjoyed by us ladies as well if we are able to put aside the distasteful amount of cleavage service. Quite ironically actually, Vanessa became one of my favourite characters in the game, she's got an interesting personality if you can get over the role she is given. Also, I found some of the sexual jokes funny; it was mostly Nikolai and his witch sensor that amused me because of its utter ridiculousness. When playing Luminous Arc, it's best to just enjoy the rather immature humour, I find it makes the game twice as good.lol. If you get offended by the objectification of females, then you will be offended by luminous arc. Vanessa is a sexual fantasy, that is her role. However, if you can set aside your feelings about the game's portrayal of females, you will find yourself pleasantly surprised and you may even crack a smile.
 
Conclusion

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Cons:	Pros:
*Rather predictable story *Uneven difficulty *Intermission talks do not alter ending *Lack of customization *Busy boxart	*Gorgeous music *Pretty art *Nice presentation & graphics *Generally good voice acting *Funny scenarios *Likable Characters *Intermission Talks *Fun to play *Post-game content *Wi-Fi multiplayer

Verdict: fun game worth picking up if you like the genre or want to give it a chance

~Joanna

Problems with the DS Port of Rhapsody =(

As promised, I will link up to the two Siliconera blog posts that detail the problems with the DS port of Rhapsody. Click on the picture to your left for the link to the article featuring two problematic glitches in Rhapsody. As I say in the comments, I have only experienced the second, more frustrating glitch, which prevents you from receiving a special item for completing the Egg Brother's Side Quest. The first glitch mentioned in the post is a glitch that makes the screen go black during certain musical segments in the game. Luckily, this glitch is usually fixed by reloading your last saved file; the same cannot be said of the Egg Brother glitch.

Click on the picture to your right to link to the article featuring the missing bonus content from the North American version of Rhapsody, which saw many commentators in outrage. I too was disappointed with the bonus content being cut, but since I didn't play the original game, I was at least pleased to be able to experience it. And last but not least, click on the picture of Kururu below to link to NISA's Rhapsody site and click on their "To The Rhapsody Owners" to see a formal apology about the missing bonus content. Strangely enough, they do not address what caused the abundance of glitches in this port, because doing so, they would have to admit that it wasn't the lack of resources, but also their lack of interest in the title. But then again, anyone reading it can see that they weren't expecting good sales from Rhapsody and basically didn't give two shits about the game, hence the minimal effort, lacking content, and glitches. Now if NISA really wanted to do their fans a service with Rhapsody, they could have allocated the small resources they did, but gave the title more time for at least a decent localization. Rhapsody was rushed so that it could be released along side of Disgaea; a shame really, because the game deserves of its own spotlight and much more effort.
~Joanna

Rhapsody Fan Art

Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure is a charming little RPG now available for the Nintendo DS. It is a port of the PSone game bearing the same name. There are a few problems with this port discussed in a Siliconera post, which I will link to in the next post. But if you can accept its flaws, you will find yourself on a cute and funny ride with Cornet, the star of the game, as she tries to save her prince from Marjoly, a rather flamboyant, to say the least, witch. RPGFan has quite a few pieces of fan art for the game, which are positively stunning. Click the picture above to link to their fan art and enjoy it as much as I did. Look below to see a recreation of one of the funniest moments in the game, beware of spoilers! (this happens within the first hour of gameplay!)

~Joanna

Pumpkin Carving: The Results

The first picture is a little blurry, but I thought it looked pretty. The second picture has better resolution =)

If I do say so myself, I think the King Boo carving turned out rather nice. I'm quite proud of it. Next year I might tackle something harder, like a Prinny.lol. And because this pumpkin was pretty tiny (relative to normal pumpkins), the carving was a bit more challenging; one cut too far or deep and the whole carving would be ruined. So yes I am rather proud ^^

~Joanna

Pumpkin Carving meets Nerdy Hobbies

What better way to show my nerdiness this Halloween then to carve a Nintendo Themed Pumpkin. And what better Nintendo character to carve then King Boo. He's from Mario AND he is a ghost! Two birds, one stone! I could go for something more obscure and more difficult. But as this is my first attempt at a video game character; I thought it should be from an easily recognizable franchise and something relatively simple.

Check in tomorrow morning for a post on the final product. I could post it up tonight, but chances are I won't have the time, since I am the one who accompanies my little brother on his trick-or-treating.

No anime/manga/game related costumes. I'm not too good at sewing and it's a rather larger commitment then pumpkin carving. Maybe one of these years......

~Joanna

Game Review: Mario Kart DS

Basic Information:

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Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Racing
Difficulty: Fair
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Nov. 2005
Rating: E for Everyone
Retail Price: $34.99 US ($44.99 CAN)


What It's About:

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You race as one of the many characters from the mario and donkey kong franchises. There are four different difficultly setting, each with the same tracks, but different opponents. Successfully completing a difficulty level unlocks the next level and either an additional character or additional carts. There is also a puzzle mode and a battle mode.

Gameplay:

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Mario Kart is in essence, a racer, but it adds a lot to the basic racing formula that attracts a lot of other gamers. The powerups and the drifting add a unpredictable and strategic edge to an otherwise standard racing game. The basic gist of gameplay is the usual: you choose a character from the mario universe (plus donkey kong, who was originally a part of the mario universe, but began his own franchise early in nintendo's history) and race against other mario characters in a variety of courses that are modeled after levels or worlds from a variety of mario games. In essence, it's a love letter from nintendo to mario fans in racing form.Each character and cart have different strengths and weaknesses, so it is ultimately the player's style and preference that determines who they will race as. But cart capacities are not the only things that will effect your chances for victory. Drifting and powerups play just as crucial a role, if not more, and make Mario Kart DS (and the franchise in general), more about luck and strategy then other racing games, which, in my opinion is a welcome refreshment.

Powerups come in the form of boxes found on the racing tracks that the player and his opponents must drive through. Once a player drives through a box, a random powerup will appear in the player's top left corner of the top screen, and these powerups range from slightly useful to broken (see screenshot). However, the game is well balanced, and your more likely to get the infinitely more useful "bullet" powerup the further behind your opponents you are, and likewise, the person in first place, is more likely to get a banana and the occasional green shell, rather then other more powerful powerups. So although it is random, the powerups have probability rates that correspond to your place in the race. This also brings in an aspect of strategy, as your forced to ponder when it will be the most beneficial to use your powerup. Likewise, the drifting although it slows you down a bit, gives you a noticeable boost in speed once completed. But unlike powerups, drifting is more about learning to press the buttons at the right time, and less about strategy and luck.

The races turn into real slug fights as you and your opponents throw different powerups at each other. And this makes Mario Kart DS (and the franchise) a lot more fun then your standard racer. Gameplay is easy to grasp, but a little more difficult to master.

Story & Characters:

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Mario Kart DS does not have a story, because, it really doesn't need one. It's about racing and the game does that well. As for characters, the game relies solely on the player being familiar with the characters through their other franchises. Even if you are not familiar with the other mario games, not to worry, this in no way effects your ability to play Mario Kart DS. As I've said, this game is more like a love letter from Nintendo to Mario fans, but the game can be easily picked up and played by anyone.

Art & Graphics:

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Being a first party game, Mario Kart DS looks fantastic, even 3 years after its initial release. It is one of the better 3-D games on the DS. The environments look crisp and distinct, as do the characters and their carts. No two carts look the same, and Mario Kart DS gives you quite a bit of variety with kart designs. As stated before, all levels are inspired from different mario games, and all characters have at one point or another been found within a mario game. There is nothing new to be found for the Mario bluffs, but the level designs are very clever and pretty. Rainbow Road, in particular, was aesthetically pleasing, but also kept racers on the edge of their seats with its increased difficulty level (compared to other tracks); because, if you fell off, it cost you a few positions.

The boxart is also nice, its simple and it expresses exactly what the game is about: Mario and karts. Mario's pose is also quite amusing, and it shows that the game doesn't take itself too seriously. Of course it isn't the most creative and eye-popping boxart out there, but sometimes simpler is better.

Music & Sound

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Being a racing game, Mario Kart DS doesn't feature any elaborate musical compositions, most tracks are very simple, but fit very well with the theme of the level (most likely because they originate from the level the tracks are based on). Not being a Mario bluff, I can recognize only a few of the tunes, and most of them do correspond roughly to the same level/game the tracks are based on. For example the "N64 Banshee Boardwalk" racing track plays the Boo tune from Super Mario World (please correct me if I'm mistaken, I haven't played the old mario games since I was a little girl ^^;;). But regardless if the music tracks are remixes of old tunes or entirely new, the music captures the "mario" feel very well. Every time I hear a tune, I remember the old mario games, and that is what is important in a game that was made for fans of the mario franchise. Below is a favourite tune of mine from the game: Airship Fortress (which is also a favourite racing track of mine ^^)

Multiplayer:

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Ah, multiplayer, this is the heart of Mario Kart DS; it is playing with your friends that makes the game so much fun. With up to 7 friends racing against you in local wireless, the amount of surprises and turnarounds will be plentiful. You may even be shocked to find a friend of yours winning a few races by pure luck, or some friends ganging up on you will their powerups. The possiblities are endless, and you only need one copy of the game for all to enjoy. However, all those who do not have a copy will be racing as Shy Guys, while the game owner will get to choose his character and kart like normal. This does give an advantage to the owner, but with Mario Kart DS being so unpredictable and fun, you'll quickly realize that this doesn't really matter in the end. Wi-Fi matches work much the same, except everyone racing has the game, which levels the play field, assuming all players have unlocked all carts and characters, and are not using a cheating device.

My Thoughts & Recommendations:

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If there is one racing game that you should buy for your DS, it is Mario Kart DS. The game is so much more then a racer, it has fun tracks, unpredictable races, funky mario characters, but most of all, an exciting and robust multiplayer option. As someone who doesn't enjoy racing games, I can recommend this to anyone, as long as they are able to use the multiplayer feature. If you don't have someone to play with, Mario Kart DS may still be worth your money, but you will be missing out on half of the fun. Mario Kart DS is also a good game to play on the go, because you can finish a single cup in under 3o minutes.

As for us ladies, Mario Kart DS is also a worthwhile game, even through there are only two playable female characters (one is unlockable, the other is available form the beginning). Any ladies out there that are fans of the mario franchise will quickly fall in love with this game too, as will non-fans who are looking for a light and fun racer. But most of all, anyone who likes to play against their friends will find Mario Kart DS inseparable. It has one of the best and most robust multiplayer options out there. Ladies, call all your girlfriends and start the slug (or cat, if you prefer) fight!

Scoring

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Gameplay -	10/10
Story -	N/A
Characters -	N/A
Graphics -	10/10
Art -	8/10
Box Art -	7/10
Music -	7/10
Sound -	8/10
Multiplayer -	10/10
Female Factor -	5/10
Fun Factor -	10/10
Replay Value -	10/10

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OVERALL - 9/10

~Joanna

Game Review: Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Basic Information:

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Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure
Difficulty: Fair
Developer: Cing
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Jan. 2007
Rating: T for Teen
Retail Price: $ 29.99 US ($ 34.99 CAN)


What it's About:

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You play as Kyle Hyde, an ex-officer turned salesman, who still seeks closure to the events that happened prior to the beginning of the game involving his old partner Bradley. When Hyde arrives at Hotel Dusk, he meets a young mute girl, who wears the same bracelet as his partner, and it seems that she isn't the only unusual thing or person within the hotel with some strange connection to Bradley. Now it's up to you to guide Hyde as he unravels the mysteries in one long night at the hotel and finally reveals the truth behind Bradley's betrayal.

Gameplay:

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A mixture of unique and traditional sums up the basic feel of Hotel Dusk's gameplay. Being an adventure game, Hotel Dusk keeps the traditional aspects of the genre in tact, yet it places them in a unique perspective through the use of the DS and it's two screens. You hold your DS like a book, and both screens show you, your current environment, but each screens shows a different perspective. The touch screen gives you a very visually basic view of the layout of the room you are currently inside, while the other screen shows you a nice 3D rendition of the room as Hyde would see it, if he were looking at it. These two perspectives work very well, because the player is able to experience Hotel Dusk as if they were really looking at it, while the second screen allows the player to view the layout of the whole room without having to move around too much (and solves the often problematic issue of camera zoom and rotation on the DS).

Another interesting facet of Hotel Dusk is the story book approach to the gameplay, not only is this appropriate for this genre, but it also distinguishes Hotel Dusk from the other adventure games on the DS. And unlike Cing's other adventure game (also on the DS), Hotel Dusk packs enough play time to satisfy most of us; with more puzzles and characters, the game could take any where from 15 to 30 hours to complete, depending on how fast you are and if you decide to partake in the additional side quest. Sure, it doesn't hit the typical 40ish hour mark for DS games, but for an adventure game, it's pretty long.

Hotel Dusk also doesn't try to be cryptic about your next step, or make a puzzle impossible in order to prolong its length. Everything is crystal clear and the majority of the time, you will have a clear idea of what to do next or who to talk to. Even if you are not too sure, you will have enough information to know where to go more or less, and in the rare occasion that you have no idea; the hotel isn't too large and the game marks interactable object very well ( if you can interact with an object, the magnifying glass button will flash), so you won't be tapping aimlessly, hoping to trigger something. The puzzles range from very simple to thoughtful, but are never so difficult that you have to consult a walkthrough. Overall, the game has a very fair difficulty rating, and its gameplay is very intuitive and won't leave you frustrated.

Story & Characters:

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Being an adventure game, the story, and to a certain extent even the characters, are its lifeline. If an adventure game has a boring or uninspired story, and/or annoying and horrible characters, the game won't be enjoyable. Thankfully, Hotel Dusk has a very well written story, and interesting and varied characters. The plot of the game will keep you guessing, and until the final moments of the game, you won't be sure of all the connections between the characters (well at least I wasn't ^^) The characters are also varied and have interesting stories that all connect somehow (even if indirectly) to Bradley and what happened to him. Hotel Dusk did what every good adventure game does, it kept me addicted to the story, so much so, that I wanted to solve all the mysteries that tied the characters together, learn what happened in the past, and discover what lies in store for the main characters. And I wasn't disappointed, the ending was very nice, and even brought a tear to my eye.

As a side note, Hyde is an interesting character, and I liked his hard-boiled cop attitude, cliche through it was. Mila, starts out rather cliche too, but I found myself more sympathetic towards her as the game progressed. And Louie always put a smile on my face. The unique setting, California- 1979, also distinguishes Hotel Dusk from other adventure games.

Art & Graphics

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Both the art and the graphics fit very well with the story and approach of the game. The character portraits, in particular, fit the story book feel of the game. The character portraits, seen to the left, are monochromatic sketches that come to life within the game; as a character talks, they move and show emotion based on the topic of discussion. It fits very well, and makes Hotel Dusk seem more like a novel then a game.

The 3D rendition of what Hyde sees on the left screen is not the best 3D to date on the DS and it does have a slight fuzziness to it, but it is still done rather nicely and only adds to the game's experience. This is mainly due to the fact that the left screen sole purpose is a cosmetic one, it is rarely involved in the actual gameplay, and hence there are no camera issue, or clarity issues. You don't even have to look at the left screen if you so choose, but I wouldn't recommend it, since the left screen brings the hotel to life, and enriches your game experience.

The right screen is very bare when compared to the left screen during the exploration sessions. It shows the layout of the room Hyde is currently in, and does it at the bare minimum. It basically looks like a rough drawing of the floor plan, and although it pales in comparison to the 3D depictions on the left screen, it is charming in its own way. Although graphically, it isn't spectacular, the right screen is very practical; it makes the gameplay less frustrating and more intuitive, and for these reasons, it's lack of graphical 'umph', are easily forgivable.

There is one thing that I don't like through, the box art, it's pretty ugly, especially when you compare it to the Japanese box art. Mila looks like a ghost and Hyde like the typical emo hero found in a few RPGs. Thankfully the box art is deceptive, and the game is a lot better then the front cover makes it out to be. As the popular expression goes, "Don't judge a book by its cover". But, seriously, why oh why, could they not have used the simpler and better Japanese cover. A mystery that I will never understand!

Music & Sound

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Hotel Dusk has a varied array of musical tracks, some are mediocre, but most are very nice and memorable. You might even find yourself listening to them on the game's jukebox, or maybe even online. Some that I enjoyed included: Midnight, The Long Night, Violet Sky, Rainy Night, Silent Moon, On the Rocks, and Amber Sunset. The game's music fits the setting very well; the majority of the tunes sound like they are from a 5 cent jukebox, and I mean this as a compliment. Sure the tunes aren't orchestral and majestic, but they fit the setting of the game very well, and that is what most musical scores in games attempt to do (and should do). The sound is also good, although the game doesn't have too many sound effects, but the ones that it does have, are well done. Below is a sample of "Rainy Night", one of my favourite tracks from the game =)

Multiplayer:

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Hotel Dusk does not support any multiplayer modes, which is not surprising, since it is an adventure game.

My Thoughts & Recommendations

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If your curious about the adventure genre, and want to give it a try, Hotel Dusk would be one of the best games to start out with. It has the incredible story-telling that this genre is known for, without some of its less appealing aspects (most notably the clicking-or touching in this case- of everything in sight in an attempt to trigger the story along). Just remember, Hotel Dusk has a lot of dialogue, in fact, the majority of the game involves talking to different guests at the hotel, in order to squeeze some information out of them. If you happen to be someone who abhors lengthy dialogue, then adventure gaming is probably not the genre for you. If you are just not fond of it, then Hotel Dusk might still be worth your time, as long as you can enjoy a good detective story. As for myself, I quite enjoy lengthy dialogue, so Hotel Dusk was one pleasant ride.

Other then the genre's quirks, there is nothing in Hotel Dusk that can ruin the experience for you. Both the music and presentation are done well, and the gameplay is simple and easy to grasp. Just a small warning, this game might be a little challenging for young children, so I don't recommend buying it for the little ones (not that you should in the first place, since the game has a T rating ;] ) Not only does the game ask for a higher level of concentration and information retention, it also has a few challenging (but not impossible) puzzles that children will not be able to appreciate. If you happen to have a younger child or sibling, I recommend waiting a while before introducing them to the adventure genre, unless you are willing to hold their hand and help them with the more difficult puzzles and reminding them of all the story details (chapter endings have quizzes that ask questions about the plot and characters, so you need to pay attention). But even then, Hotel Dusk really isn't a story for the younger ones, and I would recommend Cing's other adventure game, Trace Memory, which is a bit easier and a lot shorter, for younger children, if you really wish to introduce them to this genre. It's the better option, because it does not ask for as much from the player as Hotel Dusk does, but that does not mean Trace Memory is easy, it has its fill of challenging puzzles. It is just shorter and doesn't have a large cast, so it does not require the same degree of retention as Hotel Dusk.

With all that said, I wholeheartedly recommend Hotel Dusk: Room 215 to any DS owner, especially since the resurrection of adventure gaming has only been made possible by the DS. As for us females, Dusk isn't particularly aimed at us, but as long as your a girl or woman who doesn't mind lengthy dialogue, and can enjoy a traditional and well written detective story, then I also recommend Hotel Dusk to you. The exclusion of a playable female character is acceptable here, since adventure games are like stories and each story can only have a single protagonist, in this case, it happens to be a man named Kyle Hyde. What is rather irritating through, are the games where a playable female character could have been added, but wasn't.

Scoring

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Gameplay -	9/10
Story -	10/10
Characters -	9/10
Graphics -	8/10
Art -	9/10
Box Art -	3/10
Music -	8/10
Sound -	7/10
Multiplayer -	N/A
Female Factor -	N/A
Fun Factor -	8/10
Replay Value -	6/10

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OVERALL - 8/10

~Joanna